NEARLY 30 trees planted by Wirral schoolchildren over the years have been saved following moves to safeguard them by residents.

The trees were under threat when the council decided to move Mount Primary School from its present Mount Road site, in New Brighton, to the former Weatherhead School site on Mount Pleasant Road.

Many believe the existing site will now be used for housing, leading residents to fear the trees could be felled.

So Wallasey councillor Ian Lewis and others in the community decided to collect signatures on a petition calling for a preservation order on the trees.

This has now been approved and comes into force today.

Mr Lewis said: "More than 600 local people asked for the trees at Mount Primary School to be protected.

"After several letters and e-mails to the council's planning department, I'm grateful that a Tree Preservation Order has been made. Too many trees are lost when buildings are pulled down and sites cleared.

"This won't be happening at Mount Road."

The school is expected to relocate to the new site in time for the new school year in September after six months of negotiations. They had asked to move so that future expansion will be possible.

Cllr Lewis added: "This means that the trees cannot be damaged or felled, even to make space for entries and exits into new developments and any future development will have to be designed around the trees.

"We are delighted that the Tree Preservation Order has been granted because usually it is too late to do anything, but what we've managed to do is have them in place well in advance of any future use of the site."

The trees were planted around the school over the last 30 years following several tree planting campaigns by previous headteacher John Martin.

Rhiann Taylor, one of the petitioners who fought to save the trees, said that losing them would ruin the area.

She added: "I moved here because of the amount of trees. The trees lining the road was one of the main attraction.

"When I heard that the school was being demolished I wondered about the trees and discovered that there was no preservation orders on them, so with others we started a petition.

"I am so glad that we have done this and believe it will help safeguard the area ."